Camera-carriage.



R. KROEDEL.

CAMERA CARRIAGE.

IINVENTOR A l BY @o mlm ATTORNEYS UNTTED sTATEs PATENT onnron.

ROBERT KROEDEL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

CAMERA-CARRIAGE.

Application filed Apr122, 1918.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT Knonnnn, of Rochester, in the county of 'Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Camera- Carriages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to photography and more particularly to photographic cameras and it has for its object to provide a simple, efficient and quick acting mechanism for clamping a lens carriage to the bed or track upon which it is movably mounted and securing it in the different positions of adjustment along the axial line of the lens. In my preferred construction, I employ an actuating spring for the clamping mechanism and a further object of the invention is to provide means for regulating the tension of the spring and thereby adjusting the clamping action. To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation ofa camera provided with a lens carriage constructed in accordance with and illustrating one cmbodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the track and carriage;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 14 of Fig. 2 showing` the clamping mechanism in operative position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the clamp in inoperative position, and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the clamping element or crosshead.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

In the present instance, I have shown a hand camera of the familiar folding type comprising a body 1, a hinged door 2 at the front thereof and a bellows 3 connecting the body to a front or lens board 4 car- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

serial No. 229,949.

rying the lens 5 and supported on the uplstanding arms 6 of a carriage 7 `The door .sides of the track flanges to prevent lost motion in a lateral direction. A crosshead 13 extends transversely between the tracks and embodies inclined engaging faces 14 adapted to clamp against the inner inclined sides of the track flanges under the guiding influence of shoulders 15 which coperate with the ribs l2 on the carriage. Rising from the center of the crosshead 13 is a flat stem or ear 1G disposed in a plane parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage and occupying a vertical slot or recess 17 in the carriage block. The stem has a central aperture 1S the edges of which are rounded and which is in alinement with a cylindrical ,Y

chamber 19 extending transversely about half way through the carriage, vthere being an intersection of the chamber 19 and slot 17. In further. alinement with the chamber 19 is a transverse bore 20 counterbored at 21 to respectively receive and guide the plunger 22 and the collar 23 of a fingerpiece 24 at the outer end of the plunger and arranged laterally of the carriage. The plunger carries at its inner end a coneshaped cam 25 occupying the aperture 18 of the stein 1G. l/Vhen this plunger is thrust to the left as in Fig. 4, the cam cone 25 centers itself in the aperture 18 and draws the crosshead 13 upwardly into clamping engagement with the track. The plunger is so actuated by a coil spring 26 arranged in the chamber' 19 and reacting against a lingerpiece 27 arranged on the other side of the carriage in opposition to the first mentioned finger-piece 24. This last mentioned finger-piece is preferably in the form of a screw threaded into the carriage so that by turning it, the compression of the spring 2G may be regulated. The screw is locked in a position of4 adjustment by a set screw 28 shown in Fig. 3.

It will be seen that the spring 26 norm ally holds the clamping mechanism in operative position and locks the carriage to the track. then-the carriage vis toV be ydrawn yout or pushed. back, the operator .grasps fit by the finger-pieces 24 and 27 Which, Whenrpinched y together, causes the cam cone `25-tov1partially Withdraw from the aperture 18, al-

i lowing the stem 16v to settle down upon a smaller diameter and releasethe-cross head 13 from the track, as m Fig. 5. When this Ipressure 1s released from the nger-p1eces,

' both the ,cam and the linger-,piece 24k are re- V easily and gquickly. The mode of `procedure isf=thought to be obvious. The plunger 22 being inserted from the right 1n Figs. l and v5, Ibefore the'finger-,piece 27 is applied, and v.the :finger-piece 24 being carried to position last, it is secured to the ,plunger by pin 29 shown in Figs and 5.

Inclaim as my invention:

l. In a camera, the combination With a track and a carriage movable thereon, of a track gripping member comprising a crosshead adapted to engage the track in opposition to the carriage and a stem on the crosshead, and a sliding member guided for rectilinear movement on the carriage and cooperating With the stem of the gripping member, one ol said last mentioned elements having a cam surface engaging the other to move the crosshead against the track.

2. In a camera, the combination With a track .and a carriage movable thereon, of a track gripping member comprising a cross- Vhead adapted to engage the track in opposition to .the carriage and astem on the cross head, and a sliding member guided in the carriage for rectilinear movement transversely thereof` and of the track and termi- Copies of this patent `may be obtained for nating in a laterally arranged inger piece, said member being adapted to coperate avith. .the stem'. of. thefgripping A:member and oneuofsaidrelenlents ,being `provided with a cam engaging the other element to move the -crosshead against the track.

3. In a camera, the Acombination with a track and a carriage movable thereon, of a trackgripping member, means embodying a laterally arranged linger-piece for drawing the track gripping member--intoclalnping engagement with the track, a kspring for actuating said means-and 4inger-.piece and a second rlaterally' arranged linger -piece opposed. toV the first and adjustably mounted in the carriage to engage and regulate the tension of the spring.

el.. In a camera, Athe combination with a track anda carriagemovable thereon, of a track `grippingmember vcomprising a cross head adapted `to engage the track in opposition to the carriage anda stem on the crosshead having an aperture-therein, of aV push rod slidable in ,the carriage-and embody-ing a cone-shaped cam adapted to Work in the aperture et' the crosshead stem to affect the relationship of the crosshead and track.

5. In a camera, the combination with a track and a carriage movable thereon, of a track gripping member comprising a cross- .head adapted to engage the track .in oppositension.

VROBERT KROEDEL.

ve cents each, -by addressing the Commissioner ofl Patents, Washington, D. C. 

